elect
- elect
\ \ [15] To elect somebody is literally to ‘choose them out’ of a range of possibilities. The word comes from ēlectus, the past participle of Latin ēligere ‘pick out, select’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix ex- ‘out’ and legere ‘gather, choose’ (source also of English collect, neglect, and select and, from its secondary meaning ‘read’, legible and lecture).
\ \ The notion of ‘choosing by ballot’ is the oldest of the verb’s senses in English.
\ \ A person who may be ‘elected’ or ‘chosen’ is eligible [15] (an acquisition via French from the late Latin derivative ēligibilis). And someone who has been ‘picked out’ from the crowd is a member of the élite [18] (a borrowing of the feminine form of the past participle of French élire ‘elect’). Also closely related is elegant.
\ \ Cf.⇒ COLLECT, ELEGANT, ELIGIBLE, ELITE, LECTURE, LEGIBLE, NEGLECT, SELECT
Word origins - 2ed.
J. Ayto.
2005.
Synonyms:
Look at other dictionaries:
Elect — • Denotes in general one chosen or taken by preference from among two or more; as a theological term it is equivalent to chosen as the object of mercy or Divine favour, as set apart for eternal life Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006.… … Catholic encyclopedia
Elect — E*lect , a. [L. electus, p. p. of eligere to elect; e out + legere to choose. See {Legend}, and cf. {Elite}, {Eclectic}.] 1. Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more. Colors quaint elect. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. (Theol.) Chosen as… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
elect — vt 1: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership 2: to make a selection of elect ed her statutory share over the gift under the will vi: to choose an elective share the right of a spouse to elect against the will … Law dictionary
elect — [ē lekt′, ilekt′] adj. [ME < L electus, pp. of eligere, to pick out, choose < e , out + legere, to pick, choose: see LOGIC] 1. chosen; given preference 2. elected but not yet installed in office: usually used in combination [the mayor… … English World dictionary
Elect — E*lect , n. 1. One chosen or set apart. [1913 Webster] Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Is. xlii. 1. [1913 Webster] 2. pl. (Theol.) Those who are chosen for salvation. [1913 Webster] Shall not God avenge… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Elect — E*lect , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Elected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Electing}.] 1. To pick out; to select; to choose. [1913 Webster] The deputy elected by the Lord. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To select or take for an office; to select by vote; as, to elect a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
-elect — suffix ► used after the title of an official job to refer to someone who has been chosen by vote to do that job, but who has not yet started doing it: »Mr Theroux is chairman elect of the Promotion Marketing Association. → Compare DESIGNATE(Cf.… … Financial and business terms
elect — adj picked, *select, exclusive Analogous words: *choice, exquisite, rare: selected, preferred, chosen, singled out (see CHOOSE): redeemed, saved, delivered (see RESCUE vb) Antonyms: reprobate (in theology) Contrasted words: rejected, repudiated,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
elect — ► VERB 1) choose (someone) to hold public office or another position by voting. 2) opt for or choose to do something. ► ADJECTIVE 1) chosen or singled out. 2) elected to a position but not yet in office: the President Elect. DERIVATIVES electable … English terms dictionary
Elect — Elect., Abbreviatur auf Recepten: Electuarium … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
ELECT — ELECT., сокращение лат. слова electua rium кашка, употребляемое в рецепте … Большая медицинская энциклопедия